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Monday, January 16, 2012

Cambodia : First bird flu victim of year clings to life

More information coming from Cambodia with regards to its first bird flu victim of the year. Article via The Phnom Penh Post :

" A two-year-old boy from Banteay Meanchey province is in critical condition after being diagnosed with avian influenza in the Kingdom’s first confirmed case of the virus this year, according to a joint statement from the Ministry of Health and the World Health Organisation issued on Friday.

The boy, of La Peak village in Preah Netr Preah district’s Chhnuor Meanchey commune, was diagnosed with H5N1 influenza, commonly known as bird flu, on Thursday after falling ill on January 3, the statement read. He was admitted to a Siem Reap hospital on January 9.

According to the statement, the boy is the 19th person in Cambodia to have been diagnosed with the virus, with 12 of the cases manifesting in children under the age of 14.

Eight people died from the virus in Cambodia last year.

Kao Sopheaktra, director of the provincial health department, said yesterday that the diagnosis marked the third case of bird flu in the province.

“[People] have to rush to the health centre or hospital if they suspect that they have bird flu or they have similar symptoms to H5N1,” he said, adding that many chickens had recently died in the commune and residents had eaten them.

Kao Sopheaktra said that officials would continue to monitor the health of the boy’s relatives and other villagers for at least two weeks.

Commune chief Hem Sarith said the boy fell sick two days after eating sick poultry and that poultry in the area were now being tested."